The following is a list of "Game Doctors" and its capabilities I compiled for your information. And what is "Game Doctor", and it's origin. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Game Doctor" is the name giving to devices that can read the ROM on the video game cartridges and store it on floppy disk, which later can be play back on the video game consoles without the original cartridge. The first "Game Doctor" got its start on the Nintendo Famicom (Japan's NES). As most of you know, Famicom has a 2.8" disk drive available for it, and to save the material cost, many software maker publish games on the 2.8" floppy. (I think Nintendo choose to use a nonstardard disk size to control software piracy, as there won't be much blank 2.8" floppy disks around to copy the games on.) Anyway, sooner or later, someone has written a disk copying program(don't think it's ever legal in Japan). And somehow as the years go by, there's plenty of blank 2.8" disks around. I guess that's why there's never a disk drive for the U.S. Nintendo, and now, most of the new games in Japan were out in cartridge only. To counter this, somebody made some new hardware that connects to the Famicom and the disk drive that backs up the games on to the floppy. Thus, creating the first "Game Doctor". Applying the same concept to other video game consoles, many companies in Hong Kong and Taiwan made such devices for Famicom, and then for PC-Engine, Genesis, etc. These were the first generation "Game Doctors", which only works with one type of machine, and generally uses the old 2.8" Nintendo disk drive. (Don't think there's ever any "Game Doctor" made by a Japanese company, as the software companies, Nintendo, and Sega would suit the pants off that company. And Hong Kong had historically ignored the copyright laws of other countries. They even have Nintendo Famicom clones. Don't know about Taiwan. ) As there are many limitations to the first generation of "Game Doctors", like, limited storage of 2.8" floppy disks, only one megabit per disk, too expansive for multisystem owners, having to buy a "Game Doctor" for each of his video game system, etc., comes the second generation of "Game Doctors". Almost every second generation of "Game Doctors" have a 3.5" drive, and many of them can be use with serval different types of game systems at the same time. And right now, the third generation of "Game Doctors" have already been out. The latest "Game Doctor" uses the more expansive static RAM, to prevent hung up in the middle of the game. (as DRAM has to refresh itself every cycle, and ROM do not, these could cause problems with the video game consoles. Static RAM acts much more like ROM than DRAM.) Also, the new ones can be use with any video game systems that's ever out and will be out in the future, including portables, like Game Boy, and Game Gear. As all they have to do is to make a new interface. And the size of the third generation "Game Doctors" is about a bit larger than a VHS video cassette, and can be use on battery power. I would not discuss how the first and second generation "Game Doctor" works, instead, I'll talk more about the third generation, which I think should be the most interesting to you. Currently there are two "Game Doctors" that are of the third generation. They are 'Multi Game Doctor 2' and 'Super Twin Star', both made in Hong Kong. The main unit contains a 3.5" HD disk drive, a LCD display, and a microprocessor for controlling, with a slot on the side. They are about the size of a VHS video cassette, can be use on battery power or AC. To play a game from the disk, you first insert a special RAM cart into the slot on the main unit. Then you load the game data onto the cart. After that, you take out the cart, and plug it into an interfacing cartridge for your type of video game console. Then turn on the game console and play! Isn't that simple? As to how do you get the games on disk, first you get the game cartridge you want to play. Then, plug it into a special interface for that type of game system, and plug the whole thing into the slot on the main unit, and select the function BACKUP on the main unit. And it will back up the cartridge on to disk. And as these two "Game Doctor" uses the standard IBM disk format, you can pop the disk into your PC and modify the game, using PC Tools or other disk editing program. Like making the game to give you unlimited 1-ups or invincible, etc. The possibility are endless. And as to which bytes to change, they're frequently published in Hong Kong video game magazines. The following is a list of all the "Game Doctors" currently available. Mega Disk Type: can only be use on Sega Mega Drive Company: Taiwan Sang Ting Co. Ltd. 11/F., RM. 1101C, Ho King Comm. Centre, 2 Fa Yuen St., KLN., Hong Kong Tel: 7704068 Fax: 7807653 (Please add Hong Kong international area code) Description: a boxy shaped thing that sits on top of the Sega Mega Drive, much like a Genesis Master system converter. has a built in 3.5"HD drive. Has 8Megabit memory, (cannot play 12M games like Star Control). has a slot on top for plugging in cartridges, so you don't have to remove 'Mega Disk' everytime you want to play a cartridge game. since it does not have a battery backup, you have to reload the game each time you turn off the system. but takes only 34 seconds to load an 8 M game. While playing games from disk, you can plug in a save cart with battery into 'Mega Disk' to save your progress anytime, even if the game is an action game. each save cart can only save one game at a time. it can also back up cartridges onto disks. Prices: 'Mega Disk' costs HK$ 1650 save cart HK$200 Super Magic Drive Type: Super Magic Drive is for Sega Mega Drive only, but the company makes two versions of it for Nintendo Famicom, and NEC PC-Engine. And is about to come out with one that works with Super Famicom. Each version can only be use with the system it designed for. Company: don't know, the name is in Chinese Tel: 3870223 Fax: 3867980 (please dial the Hong Kong International area code first) Description: the Sega version works much the same way as the 'Mega Disk', also sits on top of the Mega Drive, but it has built in save cart, and can have unlimited saves by writing it to disk. also can have a max of 16 Megabit memory. the Nintendo Famicom version has 6M of Memory, while the NEC PC-Engine version, comes in either 4 or 8 Megabit of memory, all three uses the same type of 3.5" HD disk drive. the main unit is separated from the disk drive, connected by a cable. Prices: Sega Mega Drive version: 8M HK$1100 16M HK$1600 Famicom version: 6M HK$695 PC-Engine version: 4M HK$1050 8M HK$1300 3.5" HD Sony disk drive: HK$550 Turbo GD 6+ Type: for Nintendo Famicom only Description: plugs into cartridge slot of Famicom and sits on top of it. has 6M memory, needs to buy another device for it in order to save game. two piece type, main unit on top of Famicom with a cable connected to a 3.5" disk drive. Company: don't know (the name is in Chinese only) Tel: 7282879 Fax: 7283012 (add Hong Kong international area code when dialing) Princes: Don't know Super Twin Star HM-Drive Type: portable, multi system, can be use with any system, including Gameboy and Game Gear Description: a portable unit about the size of a VHS cassette, has built in 3.5" HD disk drive, a two line LCD display for system function, and a slot on the side for accepting its own type of battery backed RAM cartridge, to play a game from disk, you first plug the RAM cart into its slot, then load the game data from disk and write it to the RAM cart, then, take out the cart and plug it into a interface cartridge for your game system, and plug the whole thing into your video game system and play. to copy a game from cartridge, plug the game cartridge into a special interface and then plug it into Super Twin Star, and select the backup command. the RAM cart size is about 5 AA batteries put together. right now, it only have interfaces for using on PC-Engine, Super Famicom, Mega Drive, Game Boy, and Game Gear. Company: FM Trading Company Tel: 3878985 Fax: 7259680 (dial Hong Kong area code first) Prices: main unit with 4M RAM cart: HK$2400 8M RAM cart: HK$3200 (includes one interface with main unit) All interfaces are HK$80 each, except Super Famicom, which is HK$400 Note: Instruction manual is in English Multi Game Doctor Type: Multi system Description: two piece type, one is main unit, connected to the disk drive via a cable, or you can buy a special cable with software and use your IBM's disk drive. comes in 4M or 8M memory. the RAM is built into the main unit, connecting via cable and an interface cartridge, the flat cable is easy to break. Right now only have interface for Mega Drive, PC-Engine, and Super Famicom. Company: Makko Toy Co., Ltd. Tel: 7283703 Prices: 4M Multi Game Doctor: HK$1250 8M Multi Game Doctor: HK$2150 3.5" disk drive: HK$850 PC-Engine & Mega Drive interface: HK$80 each Mega Drive interface with built in save cart: HK$180 Super Famicom interface with built in save cart: HK$650 Multi Game Doctor 2 Type: portable, multi system Description: Just like Super Twin Star, except it has a much smaller LCD display, and its RAM cart uses tiny lithium battery, and about the size of a Game Boy cartridge. can have a max of 32M memory, but right now only offers a max of 8M RAM cart. (Super twin star uses a regular AA or AAA battery for its RAM cart, but the lithium battery in Multi Game Doctor 2 RAM carts lasts only a month) right now, have interface for Mega Drive, Super Famicom, PC-Engine, NEC Super Grafx, Game Boy, and Game Gear. Prices: Multi Game Doctor 2: HK$1100 1M RAM cart: HK$395 2M RAM cart: HK$695 4M RAM cart: HK$1125 8M RAM cart: HK$1990 Game Boy interface with save game feature: HK$185 Game Gear interface: HK$170 PC-Engine interface: HK$150 Super-Grafx interface: HK$150 Mega Drive interface with save game feature: HK$215 Super Famicom interface with save game feature: HK$590 Cartridge backup to disk interface: HK$200 for each system lithium battery for RAM cart: HK$15 Where to get the "Game Doctor"? -------------------------------- Of course if you can go to Hong Kong, you can get it there. But, if you are like most people, which you won't be in Hong Kong in the near future, and don't have any friends there, you could try to find some specialty Hong Kong importing company and ask them to get one for you, which they many times charges no less than 50% of the price of the system. ========================================================================== DOWNLOADED FROM RAISING HELL - A INDEPENDENT BBS - SYSOP: PSYCHOPATH +46-(0)23-26893 ==========================================================================